Epi: 324 Welcome back, OSLP family! In this powerful episode of Our Sleeved Life Podcast, we welcome Rob Rafanan from The Weighting Table—aka @theweightingtable, @weightinginvain, and @trans4m.bariatric.bodybuilding—to share his raw and inspiring bariatric journey. Rob opens up about his personal struggles with morbid obesity, chronic health conditions like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and how hitting nearly 400 pounds forced him to reevaluate everything—from his physical health to being a present father.

We dive deep into:

How Rob battled hypertension, sleep apnea, and back pain while trying to maintain a career

What it was like living as a "present but absentee" dad and how that shifted after surgery

Why he finally said yes to Roux-en-Y (RNY) gastric bypass surgery after years of failed attempts to lose weight on his own

The moment a chiropractor changed his life with one simple, hard question

His journey through Canada's bariatric surgery system

Losing over 100 pounds with cycling and dealing with setbacks like tendonitis

How mindset coaching, therapy, and practicing gratitude and mindfulness helped reframe his post-op journey

Why emotional eating isn’t shameful—and how to build healthier coping tools that work long-term

The role of community support, Radical Body Transformation prep, and learning how to balance discipline with real life

Rob and Mel discuss everything from post-op plastic surgery to how guilt and generational trauma affect weight regain and emotional eating triggers. You’ll walk away with real-life strategies for managing setbacks, building resilience, and redefining your relationship with food.

💪 Whether you're pre-op, post-op, or supporting someone through a weight loss transformation, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone looking to find strength, self-worth, and sustainability beyond the scale.

🧠 Topics covered:

Bariatric surgery vs. doing it alone

Emotional eating after weight loss surgery

Coping with grief and loss

Cycling and fitness after gastric bypass

Plastics after extreme weight loss

Mindset coaching and the power of radical self-awareness

📍 Listen now and join us on this real, honest, and hope-filled journey. You’re not alone—and this episode proves it.